Travelers Checks in Ports?

[Ronrocks!]

Hello!

 

My family will be on the Mariner the week before Christmas doing the Western Caribbean itenerary. We would like to NOT use our credit cards if at all possible. We were wondering about using travelers checks? Will the small venders accept them? Will they give us change in U.S. currency? Any thoughts? experiences?:confused:

[NancyB84]

Hello!

 

My family will be on the Mariner the week before Christmas doing the Western Caribbean itenerary. We would like to NOT use our credit cards if at all possible. We were wondering about using travelers checks? Will the small venders accept them? Will they give us change in U.S. currency? Any thoughts? experiences?:confused:

 

You travel the same way we do.... cash/travelers checks. We hate using our CC's. (too easy to end up with big bills... we have no willpower :rolleyes: ) We would cash in a few travelers checks at the pursers desk before we left the ship in each port. That way, we had cash in case the smaller vendors wouldn't take them. I would imagine that the vendors would take them... it is valid us currency... we just found it to be easier to cash a few in before we left the ship and take cash onto the islands.

[Ronrocks!]

You travel the same way we do.... cash/travelers checks. We hate using our CC's. (too easy to end up with big bills... we have no willpower :rolleyes: ) We would cash in a few travelers checks at the pursers desk before we left the ship in each port. That way, we had cash in case the smaller vendors wouldn't take them. I would imagine that the vendors would take them... it is valid us currency... we just found it to be easier to cash a few in before we left the ship and take cash onto the islands.

 

 

Wow Nancy you are everywhere!! Yah I can't see paying interest on T-shirt. lol Do they give you change in U.S. currency??

[NancyB84]

Wow Nancy you are everywhere!! Yah I can't see paying interest on T-shirt. lol Do they give you change in U.S. currency??

 

When we cashed ours in... we got the exact amount in US currency... from the desk on the ship. I have never tried to take a travelers check off the ship and use it in a port. The pursers desk was also great because I asked for small bills too... and they had no problem giving me a great mix of smaller bills ($1's, $5's and $10's) to use in port.

 

Have a fantastic time on your cruise. We are sailing Mariner next Sept and we can't wait.

[Ronrocks!]

When we cashed ours in... we got the exact amount in US currency... from the desk on the ship. I have never tried to take a travelers check off the ship and use it in a port. The pursers desk was also great because I asked for small bills too... and they had no problem giving me a great mix of smaller bills ($1's, $5's and $10's) to use in port.

 

Have a fantastic time on your cruise. We are sailing Mariner next Sept and we can't wait.

 

 

I see. I am talking about the vendors in the ports. I was wondering when you bought a shirt or something with U.S. currency if they gave you change in the U.S. currency or local currency?

 

I can't wait this is our first cruise. I am so excited/nervous/stressed!!:o

[Sue L]

I see. I am talking about the vendors in the ports. I was wondering when you bought a shirt or something with U.S. currency if they gave you change in the U.S. currency or local currency?

 

I can't wait this is our first cruise. I am so excited/nervous/stressed!!:o

 

 

Usually they will but sometimes they won't have the right amount of change, bring small bills so you don't have to worry about change or just a small amount.

[NancyB84]

I see. I am talking about the vendors in the ports. I was wondering when you bought a shirt or something with U.S. currency if they gave you change in the U.S. currency or local currency?

 

I can't wait this is our first cruise. I am so excited/nervous/stressed!!:o

 

 

Ha... sorry... I wasn't reading thoroughly.... we had mixed experiences with that. Sometimes we got local currency back... sometimes US. Which was why on our last cruise, I made sure I had smaller bills. That way, if I got local currency back... it was a small amount and my kids used it as a keepsake.

[Ronrocks!]

Ha... sorry... I wasn't reading thoroughly.... we had mixed experiences with that. Sometimes we got local currency back... sometimes US. Which was why on our last cruise, I made sure I had smaller bills. That way, if I got local currency back... it was a small amount and my kids used it as a keepsake.

 

 

Thank you sooo much Nancy you've been a great help! I hope you enjoy the Mariner! She looks so big!! It'll probably take me 7 days just to figure out where I am going!!!

[NancyB84]

Thank you sooo much Nancy you've been a great help! I hope you enjoy the Mariner! She looks so big!! It'll probably take me 7 days just to figure out where I am going!!!

 

 

Anytime!!!!!!!!! :)

 

We are looking forward to Mariner.... it will be our first Voyager Class ship.... our other 2 RCCL cruises were on Radience Class ships. Mariner does look big!!!!!!! One thing we did before our cruises.... we printed out the deck plans of the ships and learned them.... spent less time wandering around lost. LOL You can get onto RCCL's website and print out each deck of mariner.

[WhiteSoxFan]

Travelers Checks? They still have those? I thought that CC's and those pre-paid Bank of America type cards replaced those.

 

Is the reason you don't want to use your CC because you don't want the bill or you don't trust the vendors and you're afraid of fraud. If it's the latter you can always go to the casino and get cash off your seapass account.

[Loves_Dogs]

I always use travelers checks and have never had problems using them in any of the ports we have been in. Even small vendors took the checks and always gave me back US currency. Its the only way to travel for me.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Travelers Checks? They still have those? I thought that CC's and those pre-paid Bank of America type cards replaced those.

 

Is the reason you don't want to use your CC because you don't want the bill or you don't trust the vendors and you're afraid of fraud. If it's the latter you can always go to the casino and get cash off your seapass account.

 

Travellers checks are great! Not for the reason you might think ..... agree with previous posters about cashing on board and taking cash on shore for local vendors (unless you are making a major purchase at a store).

 

Have been on different islands when they had power failures / transmittal failures and would only take cash - all those people hoping to use ATM machines, credit cards, etc. were out of luck! This happened to us on Aruba and we were not on a cruise - everyone was in a mess because the power was out - our hotel exchanged traveller's checks without any problem.

[Ronrocks!]

So glad to hear it is so easy to use Travelors Checks. If it were up to me I would leave our CC at home. Of course I wont just incase something happens but I am determined to pay cash. If I can't but it with cash we don't need it.:D